This study examines the consumption of resources by retired persons by distinguishing between institutionally controlled resources (social security, medicare, prescription discounts, medicaid, heating subsidy, supplemental security income, veterans' benefits, disability income, and meals-on-wheels) and personally controlled resources (gardens, dividends and interest, rentals, private pensions, self-employment, family members, and wages and salaries). Time uses of institutionally controlled and personally controlled resources and subjects' sense of personal efficacy were also considered. Questionnaires and the adult Nowicki-Strickland locus of control scale were administered to 80 retired persons. Findings showed that institutionally controlled resources most heavily used were social security (100 percent), medicare (79 percent), and prescription discounts (58 percent). Fewer than 10 percent used other forms of institutionally controlled resources. For personally controlled resources, 55 percent reported having dividends and interest income, 48 percent had income from rental property, and 28 percent had private pensions. Although all respondents reported that they were retired, 22 percent were receiving income from wages, salaries, and self-employment. Eleven percent received income from family and 63 percent had gardens which contributed to total income. Results also indicated that 73 percent had a strong sense of personal efficacy and that there is a positive relationship between high time uses of institutionally controlled resources and the number of institutionally controlled resources available. (LH)